


Forgiveness

by zekelandons



Category: Manifest (TV 2018)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:35:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24531637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zekelandons/pseuds/zekelandons
Summary: Zeke and his dad go to Chloe's beach where they make peace with each other at last. A one shot in Zeke's POV
Relationships: Zeke Landon/Michaela Stone
Kudos: 3





	Forgiveness

**Author's Note:**

> I really wished we got this scene in 02x11 so here it is lol.

“I think he might be downstairs.”

Those words from Ben shocked me to the core. I still couldn’t believe that a Calling of all things led TJ and Ben to find my dad. I was angry and hurt. For years, Chloe’s death had haunted me, but what was worse is what happened to my family. Dad left, leaving me and Mom by ourselves. Mom withdrew and I...well I became a drug addict. And that’s how my life was. Pretty sad, pretty bleak. But all of that changed when I met her.

_Michaela.._

The girl whose picture in the magazine gave me strength to live in my darkest hour. The girl who saw past my mistakes and only saw my good heart. The girl who loved me like no one else had before. The girl who became everything to me. _She really is my soulmate,_ I thought. Mick and I knew that there was something more to us that met the eye. What we had went beyond anything I had ever known about love. I loved her with every inch of my being. She was so special, so beautiful and so kind. _And yet I have to lose this happiness to the Death Date,_ I thought to myself. 

When I saw Dad lying in the hospital bed, I just wanted to scream my frustration, the anger that I had built up for years at him. But instead, I found myself looking at a man who looked...small. Sad. Just a sad old man. Ben told me that my dad had tried to kill himself at the subway station. I knew it wasn’t my responsibility; it was his. But here I was, standing at his bedside, looking at him. I noticed in his hand was the music box that he had. I remember the lullaby that he used to sing to Chloe and I when we were younger. Chloe… Today was the day that she died. I woke up this morning, wanting to run to the bathroom and use so I could numb the pain but I didn’t. I took the music box from his hand and the memories came flooding back. I felt tears falling down my face and I felt my lips quiver. All my pain just wanted to burst out of me.

Dad and I made plans to go visit Chloe’s beach and I would meet him down in the lobby and we would take a train out there. Before I had left however, I realized that I had finally found closure and that I made peace with everyone. I was ready. When Mick found out that I had decided to end my treatments, she started sobbing uncontrollably. I knew this would hurt her, and I wanted to spend the time I had left with her; in her loving arms. I knew Mick wasn’t one who gave up that easily. I told her that I wouldn’t give up without a fight, but now, here I was, surrendering myself to the Death Date. I told Mick that I would see her later at home and she had nodded, too numb with pain to respond back to me.

The train ride to Jones Beach was a quiet one for Dad and I. We didn’t say much on the ride there. But when we had gotten to the beach, I remembered all those memories I had with Chloe on that beach. We would run into the ocean and then run back to shore squealing of how cold the water was on our feet. I heard Dad sigh. “I remember how much fun you and Chloe used to have,” he said as he walked alongside me. I nodded. “Yeah,” I muttered. “We had fun.” Dad touched my arm. “I’m sorry that I left you and your mother alone,” he said. I closed my eyes. “You both needed me. And I left you at a time when we should’ve stayed together.” I felt tears running down my face. “I know,” I choked on my words. “I made so many bad choices in my life.” Dad pulled me close and found myself sobbing into his arms, feeling all that hurt and anger leave me and I felt relief. Dad stroked my back and I pulled back. He looked into my eyes. “You look so grown up,” he told me. I gave him a half smile. “Thanks,” I chuckled softly. Dad noticed a rocky outcropping and he gestured me towards it. We walked over there and we sat there, staring out into the ocean. “I talked to your mother for a bit,” Dad said quietly. “I’m sure she had a lot of things to tell you,” I said. He nodded. “She told me about Michaela.” I faced him. “She told me that she really makes you happy,” he said as he scratched his head. “She does,” I told him. “And I love her so much.” That’s when it hit me.

“Dad,” I whispered.

“What?”

“I want to marry her.”

“You do?”

“Yes. I know we’ve only dated for eight months, but the two of us have this…..connection. It’s something so powerful, that it keeps pulling us together. She is everything to me. And I want her to be my wife. I can’t imagine anyone else being my wife except for her.”

“Well, come with me to my place and I can get you some rings.”

Dad and I headed back towards the city and we went to his apartment. When we got inside, it was a small, but dark apartment. Dad went to a desk in the living room and pulled out a drawer and took out a small box. He gave the box to me and I opened it to find three rings inside. One ring had a beautiful diamond in the middle flanked by two smaller ones on the side. The other ring was just a simple band with little tiny diamonds surrounding it and the third ring was a simple gold ring. “These were my parents' rings,” Dad told me. “I held on for them for years, but I think you ought to have them now.” I nodded. “Thank you Dad,” I whispered as I hugged him.

On my way home, I thought about how for years, I forced myself to believe that I wasn’t worthy of forgiveness. But today, I realized it wasn’t just me that needed forgiveness, Dad needed it too. I finally found closure and I was ready.. I pulled out the engagement ring I planned on giving to Mick tonight. _I want to make one more memory with you,_ I thought as I walked towards the apartment which had become my home. When I got to the door, I stopped, and sighed, knowing that today was a good day. I had finally made peace at last. I was ready for whatever lies ahead. _Thanks Dad,_ I thought as I opened the door. _Thank you for everything._


End file.
